Vivitar Compliment - Mini Digital Gone Awry

I bought, at Walgreen's, a $10 mini-digital camera. It is about 3" x 4". It came with a USB card and a disc to install a Photoshop like program to view and enhance the pictures. It runs on one AAA battery and has a view finder about the size of a fingernail. You take a picture you point, click, and pray. It takes up to 283 pictures if you compress and use low resolution or 20 non compressed at high resolution. I used it the first time and after a few pictures it stopped working. It said Low Battery. Thinking I had old batteries I bought new ones. I took pictures on a plane trip and processed them as soon as I came home.

They came out great. I cleared the pictures and put the camera away until I would use it again. When I went to use it, the battery was dead. I replaced the battery again and used it again today and after 5 pictures it wouldn't work anymore. I still had the number for the tech support for Vivitar so I called. Christine, the girl who answered, told me it sounds like a defective camera and we will send you a new one. Please throw out the old one when you receive the replacement. I told her thank you as I loved the little camera. She said she could tell and wanted me to have one that worked well. I wish all companies worked this way. They used to, but too many people try to get stuff for nothing and have spoiled it for everyone.

I appreciate what she did for me and will purchase Vivitar when I am in the market for new camera equipment. I think Vivitar deserves the compliment, don't you?

The pictures may look great on your PC monitor. But when printed to a standard size like 4x6 they will look terrible. Really, you ought to spend a bit more, like $80 more, to get a reliable camera.

Posted by oldisgood on 2009-01-16:

Posted by oldisgood on 2009-01-16:

I have several SLR, very expensive cameras and just need a digital to play with. I do not take many pictures anymore and cannot justify $80+ to get a digital. I know I am in the minority, but that is the way it is. I actually printed some out at 4 x 6 and they came out pretty good. I just put them in my albums. I guess I still like to old fashioned way.

Posted by Anonymous on 2009-01-16:

oldisgood you are not in the minority. $80 could pay a few utilities so I understand your reasoning. If you are happy with the Vivitar there is no reason to shell out more money unless you need to or want to. :)

Posted by Anonymous on 2009-01-17:

Nothing wrong with the old fashioned way. What's most important is that you are happy with the results.